Knight Rider '86 3 - The Gauntlet
by homel001
Summary: The third installment in the KR '86 series. When Bonnie witnesses the murder of a professor, the hit-men responsible set out to silence her. Michael and KITT do everything they can to protect her but their journey to the Foundation is a dangerous one. Plus a revelation at the end. Please R&R
1. Chapter 1

**The Gauntlet**

**by homel001**

**Disclaimer: All rights to the show and it's characters belong to the late Glen A. Larson. The third tale in the Knight Rider 86' series. Based on a fictional Fifth Season of the original series.**

Chapter One

The streets of Detroit were not the ideal place to take a pleasure cruise. The roads were crowded and the people were shady. It lived up to it's reputations as America's most dangerous city. Amongst the constant flow of traffic, KITT cruised down the street within the confines of the official speed limit. He hated bustling streets just as much as Michael. They were on there way to pick up Bonnie, who had been attending a private lecture on advanced computer programs. The field of interest was Michael's taste, but he was really proud of just how far she came. He loved Bonnie as if she was his sibling. He just wished he could support the field of work just that bit better.

"Michael please remind me just how long we're supposed to be in Detroit?" KITT groaned. "My treads were not designed to pick up street garbage."

"Okay so we happen to be in a rough part of town, lighten up. We'll be seeing Bonnie real soon." Michael smiled.

"You seem to be in a good mood this morning." KITT said as he noticed the upbeat expression in Michael's Voice. "Did your stakes in this afternoon's game pay off again?"

"Nope. I am proud of our Bonnie." Michael replied, grinning out of the window. "You know something KITT, she's really making a name for herself these days and all we do is take her for granted. Well not today. Today is all about her."

"That is very thoughtful of you, Michael." KITT approved. "What are we going to do for her?"

Michael ran the plan through his memory. "Well lets see. I want to take her to dinner followed by a trip to the coast where she can relax and clear her head. I've already told Devon and he has no choice but to approve."

"It sounds more like a Date to me." KITT criticized.

"It is not." Michael replied. "Okay so I'm not good with planning celebrations, but it's the thought that counts. Okay this is the place. I'll be back in a few minutes and no bright ideas about telling. This is not a date."

"Understood." KITT acknowledged.

Michael headed on into the centre with out any sense of alarm. The lobby appeared to be empty with only one person manning the reception desk. Approaching the elevators, he was caught off guard by the sound of gun shots followed by a scream. He recognized the vocal tone anywhere.

"Bonnie!"

He raced up the stairwell towards the third floor where young computer technician had held her lecture. Barging through the doors, He spotted Bonnie. She was slumped up the side of the wall, her face was pale due to shock. He ran over to her and held her in his arms.

"Hey Bonnie it's okay it's me. It's Michael." He assured her with concern. "What's happened? What's going on?"

"They...They shot him." Bonnie stuttered unable to reply. "They went through the office window."

Michael stepped into the office. The place had been turned upside down. Amongst the sheets of paper and upturned equipment lay the body of a professor. Michael checked the body for a pulse, but couldn't find one. The only move he could make was to call for help.

"KITT. Call an Ambulance and scan the area." He said through his wrist watch. "Are there any gunmen in the area?"

KITT's voice buzzed through the watch's speaker. _"Three men have made off, but I couldn't get a trace on their registration. Is Bonnie alright?"_

Michael held Bonnie once again. "She's okay pal. Just a little shaken up. We'll wait until the Paramedics get here."

They waited outside to catch a breath of air when an ambulance pulled up. KITT had called the police as well, alerting the attention of Devon Miles. Three police cars had cordoned off the area to the public. Michael had finished his report with the Police chief when he sat down on the curb next to Bonnie. She sat there shaking with Michaels black leather Jack draped around her. She had witnessed a murder before, but she knew this one was too close for her to handle.

"How are you holding up?" Michael asked her gently.

"I'm okay." Bonnie replied silently as her eyes rolled towards her friend. "I just need to get out of here."

"Sure thing. Come on." Michael smiled as he helped her up off the curb.

Bonnie took a seat in the passenger seat just as Michael sat down behind the wheel. Plotting a course, they headed out of the city. It was a difficult time for her, but Michael needed to know what she saw.

"Look. I know you had quite an experience back there." He said. "I know you're scared, but I need to know what you saw and what happened?"

"I'm not sure. It all happened so fast." Bonnie replied.

"It's okay just take your time." Michael assured her.

Flashbacks started to play over in Bonnie's mind. The flash of the gunshot. The face of the gunman. It all happened right there in front of her.

"I was entering Professor Allen's office to give him my lecture notes when the silent alarms in his office sounded." She began. "The next thing I know, he was yelling at me to get out of there. I got the main hallway when the gunman entered. He pulled out a semi-automatic rifle with a silencer and then he shot him. He smiled as The Professor went down as if he enjoyed what he did."

"Then what happened?" Michael asked.

"He then saw me." Bonnie continued. "I think he wanted to shoot me but he knew that the cops were coming so he left. Then you turned up."

"Can you describe him?"

Bonnie described the assailant with vivid detail. "He was a thin man, blond hair that was slicked back, blue eyes. He had a scar down his left cheek. He dressed in all back with black leather gloves and a white shirt. He must have been about Five Foot Five."

"Okay that will do." Michael said, as he turned to KITT. "KITT use that description and run it through the local police database. I want to see if there is a match?"

The records appeared on the screen as KITT flicked through each individual file. Suddenly, the chills rocked Bonnie's spine. The face appeared on the screen.

"That's him." she jumped.

"Okay, who is he?"

KITT read the record. "His name is Tyson Melly. He was served in the US Military top marksmen for Ten Years. He then left to test new heavy firearms before they were made available to the Military. He was discharged for assault but evaded jail by joining a deadly activist group known as **The Silent Serpents.**"

"Is that all it says?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Okay well contact Devon. See if he can access any more information on this activist group."

Suddenly, Bonnie realized the reality of the situation.

"Michael, he saw me. If he saw me then there's a chance he could come after me." She trembled. "I'm the only witness who could put him away."

"That's not going to happen." Michael assured her again. "I won't let it happen."

"Michael please." Bonnie snapped. She didn't share Michael confidence.

"I mean it." Michael replied adamantly. "You know something. Before all of this, KITT and I were going to take you out for the day to pamper you because of how well you deserve it. We love you so much that I'm determined to make sure you get that day."

Bonnie couldn't argue that point. She smiled as she stroked Michael's hand gently.

"I'm sorry you two. That does sound like fun." She apologized. "So what are we going to do?"

"Well as much as we would get you to a safe house, our best bet is the Foundation." Michael explained. "However saying that, Devon isn't at the Foundation. So until we can get his end on all of this, we'll have to sit tight in your hotel room."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"KITT's trying to reach him as we speak. Besides we need to stop there so you can pack your things."

The dense traffic cluster began to break up allowing KITT to rush down the main street. Bonnie's hotel was just around the corner. It was a small run down motel that had the cheapest rooms around. It wasn't Bonnie's scene much but it was Michael's. They pulled up in the parking lot and left KITT in Surveillance mode. Michael led the way, keeping Bonnie closely behind him. Bonnie however felt that Michael was more protective than usual. She really appreciated that he cared about her well being. She just wasn't use to it on a high level.

Meanwhile at a disused factory just outside of the city, Tyson Melly stared out of the window as his comrades entered the room. He had been obsessing over the events from earlier. He was worried that Bonnie would ID him to the police. He had spent years living off the grid. He assassinated targets for a living with a policy to leave no evidence behind. So how could he have messed up this time? All of that didn't matter to him. Only thing had needed to be done. He had to kill Bonnie Barstow. His fellow hit-men joined him in the main sitting area. One of the men handed him a computer print out. A file photo of Bonnie's face was on the print out along with her profile ID.

"This is her." Melly sneered. "Bonnie Barstow. Computer Technician. Works for FLAG. The Foundation For Law And Government. Just great! She'll definitely testify when she reaches the courthouse. I can't afford to go away. Not after all we've achieved to get this far."

"She isn't a cop." replied one of the men. "I hacked into FLAG's computers. They are a charity organization that work with the Law. They are the big deal."

"What about the big guy who was with her?" Melly asked as he referred to Michael. "I saw him park up in a black T-Top during the raid."

"His name is Michael Knight. He works with Barstow." The hit-man replied. "They've been working together for Five years. Why they were here, we don't know."

Melly turned on his heel and gazed out of the window. "Well that doesn't matter now. What matters is that she never reaches the Foundation. I'll use all of my contacts to make sure of it."

One of the men knew one of the contacts. "Your not seriously thinking of calling him again are you?"

"He owes me big time after I bailed him out." Melly confirmed. "Besides, he has a collection of Military hardware that's just sitting there rusting away. If he sees sense, he'll lend it all to me. Do we know where she is staying?"

"Yeah at a motel off of Greenhill Village." the hit-man responded. "I bet Knight and the Black T-Top are there now."

"The get going." Melly ordered. "As soon as we take her out the better."

The hit-men loaded their firearms and headed out of the building. Melly was left alone to make the call. He dialled a number that was written on a crumpled paper slip. A deep voice answered the call.

"Hey it's Melly. Listen it's about time you owed me that favour. I want everything you own. That's right everything. I've got one last job to do and it's a biggie. No I can assure that it you won't get involved. I'll be at the scrap yard in an hour."

Melly put the phone down. He placed on his trademark leather cloves and headed out of the building. His rifle was already loaded and ready. He was determined to wipe Bonnie off of the pavement.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Gauntlet**

**by homel001**

**Disclaimer: All rights to the show and it's characters belong to the late Glen A. Larson. The third tale in the Knight Rider 86' series. Based on a fictional Fifth Season of the original series.**

Chapter Two

A small busted up pick up truck arrived at a small yard deep within the Michigan Countryside. The land belonged to an illegal arms dealer who collected the finest in military hardware. Melly stepped out of the truck to open the gates when the land owner approached him. He had protected himself as he wore a heavy bullet-proof vest and packed a small holstered pistol. He proceeded to open the gates and let Melly into the compound. Melly parked the truck before he stated his business.

"So you said you wanted everything? Well you got it." The owner said as they walked towards a supply shed. "It's all ready."

"Good. I need all the fire power you can give me." Melly smiled. "See I have one last hit to make before I leave Detroit and it's a biggie."

"Sounds it." The owner agreed. "All I have is thirty portable light-weight rocket launchers, anti-aircraft canons and a dozen M134 Miniguns both with or without mounts."

"That should do it." Melly said as fixed his eyes on the owners helicopter. "I'll have one M134 mounted onto that chopper over there."

The owner couldn't believe his ears. "Are you serious? That's my personal chopper. It's not designed to carry mounted hardware!"

"Well it does now." Melly corrected him. "Just you remember. You owe me. Besides I'll pay you the usual rate for this favour so I suggest you keep to it like you said you would."

"Otherwise you're going to kill me." The Owner sneered. He knew the outcome if he didn't comply. "Fine. It's not worth it. I'll get done in a few hours."

Melly displayed a smug grin. "That's better. See things always work out when we get along. You won't regret this."

The Owner stood there. His expressed a deep frustrated scowl when walked with Melly towards the helicopter. Every time Melly had a plan in motion, he was always being kept in the dark about it. Every time that happened, his paranoia would get the best of him. The last thing he needed was for the hit man's job to go horribly wrong, leading to a police a raid and his head.

Michael patiently waited in KITT while Bonnie attended to her things. Everything seemed safe and calm in the meantime, but the same couldn't be said for the tension that lingered in the cabin. While they waited, Michael decided to explain the situation to Devon. The response he got was far from assuring.

"Are you about this?" he asked for conformation.

"_I'm afraid so, Michael. Tyson Melly is no ordinary hit man." _Devon replied over the video screen with a grave look on his face. _"The Silent Serpents were publicly labeled an Activist group to avoid hysteria within the media and the public. The actual files however actually categorize them as something far more dangerous. They are a syndicate of hit men that are employed by various crime families and gangs to take out targets. They assassinate their targets and are rewarded with huge substantial pay loads."_

"So then my guesses is that Tyson Melly is a perfectionist." Michael deducted. "He likes to get the job done swiftly and properly without leaving a trace of evidence behind. In this case it's Bonnie."

"_Absolutely." _Devon acknowledged him. "_Now I trust your plan was to get her to The Foundation as soon a possible?"_

"Yeah." Michael huffed. "I figured that a police safe house wasn't going to cut it. Apart from that we have no where else to go."

"_There is no need to worry. I have made the arrangements." _Devon assured him. _"I'm leaving for Michigan in the Semi. Well pick you up just outside of the state line. Once you both arrive in KITT we'll head for the state authorities and I'll contact the FBI."_

"Understood." Michael nodded.

"_Michael, if we play this carefully we could protect Bonnie and bring in Melly. Now I'm counting on you to make sure that she never leaves KITT unguarded."_

"Devon you know me by now. She's not going anywhere without my saying so."

"_Good. Oh and Michael. The pair of you be careful." _

"We will." Michael said as he closed off the channel. "We'll see you soon."

KITT spoke up from his lengthy period of silence.

"Michael. I've scanning the area for hours and I can't find a single vehicle with that registration."

"So?" Michael asked.

"So what if this is no more than a big scare concocted of mixed imaginations?"

Michael rubbed the tip of his nose. "KITT it's called paranoia and believe me, it's not always a bad thing. You should know. You suffer from it all the time."

"Do I now?" KITT quizzed him. "When?"

"KITT you're being paranoid right now." Michael smiled. "I asked you to scan the block, not half of the city."

"Michael I am merely being cautious." KITT stated. "More to the point, I wish I had your sense of humor towards the matter."

"I couldn't think of anything better myself." Michael said as he tapped the dashboard.

Bonnie finally left the Motel with her cases. As she approached KITT, the AI opened the trunk. They took off for the road seconds later. Michael studied Bonnie's body language and found that it had changed.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked her.

"Better." She simply replied. "I was able to get some sleep after I splashed some water on my face. Did you get in touch with Devon."

"I did. He's on his way." Michael said calmly. "In fact he said that he was going to pick us up in the Semi at the state line. So all you need to do is relax."

"I'll feel better once we get there." Bonnie said, the hint of fear still lingered in her voice.

As they headed for the outer city limits, things began to change once again. KITT's voice echoed throughout the cabin.

"Michael, I am detecting a small sedan with two people inside." He reported in an alarming tone. "It has been following us since we left the last turn off."

"I knew it." Michael muttered, hitting the Passive Laser Restraint button. "Hold on."

The blue sedan rolled up next to KITT, matching his speed. The Passenger window rolled down and the barrel of a machine gun emerged. They were suddenly bombarded with a hail of bullets, which danced all around KITT's molecular bonded shell. Although the familiar ear piercing sounds unnerved them, Michael kept his cool. He sharply steered KITT into the side of the sedan, ramming it off the road. After a few attempts, the driver lost control. The sedan rolled off the road and smashed into the side of a heavy concrete wall. Michael witnessed the impact in his rear view mirror. He spun KITT around to investigate the wreck. Despite the situation, his job was never to kill anyone.

"Okay KITT, scan the wreck for survivors." He said as the pulled up outside the smoking wrecked car.

KITT scanned the two bodies for their vital signs. "The two men are both alive but are both in critical condition."

"Alright. Contact the local authorities and send for an ambulance" Michael instructed. "We've got to go."

Putting his foot on the accelerator, They returned to their original heading. High up above the scene in a helicopter, Melly planned his next move based on what he had observed. He reached for the cockpit's built in radio and makes a call.

"Serpents, Serpents this is Melly." He said. "Giles and Matthews failed to stop them. My guesses are that they are heading for the state line. We'll advance on them at the next town. Looks like they're heading for Indiana."

The helicopter banked towards the countryside leaving the scene in a swift manner. Melly planned to intercept them a second time, using another method of fire power.

"Okay KITT keep your scanner peeled." Michael said as they reached the country side. "If I'm right, we should meet Devon in Indiana by tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?" Bonnie asked him. "It's only a few hours away."

"I know, but I don't expect this trip to be a smooth one. We'll have to use the country side to our advantage."

"Michael. May I make a suggestion?" KITT asked. "Since this trip is going to be a long one, I could use a healthy full tank of fuel."

"Okay buddy." Michael agreed as he tapped away at the controls. "Locate the nearest gas station."

They eventually arrived a small family run gas station on the outskirts of town. As advised, Bonnie stayed inside KITT while Michael filled up the gas tank. She wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but she couldn't while her nerves dominated her body. Flying high above them, following their every move, Melly came up with an idea. He was going to steer them into the countryside away from the boarder. He was prepared to turn the countryside into a killing field. The Michigan countryside was not like California. It boasted lush green fields and meadows instead of large rocky hills and dense forest areas. Finding cover would prove a challenge for one who was trying to escape. It was perfect.

Michael returned to the car carrying a small paper bag of groceries. He sat down behind the wheel, offering Bonnie a bar of chocolate.

"You hungry?" he asked her with a smile. "I got us some food for the trip."

"You never did believe in a healthy diet." Bonnie chuckled as she rooted through the bag. "What do we have here? Hershey bars, Peanuts, Potato chips and a six pack of Root Beer. This will have to do I guess."

"Your welcome." Michael replied switching on the engine.

They headed onwards. The lush green countryside dominated the skyline. Everything seemed to be peaceful. Both them really wanted it to be over, but Michael wasn't so sure. However, he decided to spend the time wisely by clearing up something with Bonnie.

"Look Bonnie. I know it may seem like I've been over protective lately." He began. "The thing is I've spent the past few weeks thinking things over. I just want to say that I'm sorry for acting like your father the past few weeks. You know since your trip began."

"It's okay." Bonnie assured him with a smile. "I would like to really know what this is all about though?"

Just as Michael was about to explain, KITT interrupted with yet another report.

"Michael, We're approaching a small town. Would you like us to continue or would you like to take a short cut through the country?"

"Stay on course, KITT." Michael replied.

Melly continued to follow them. His pilot saw the town in question up ahead. A dirt path sat just ahead of the towns entrance. It was the key to diverting the FLAG members into the unmarked countryside. He loaded his rifle, attaching a silencer on the end of it. Plan B was about to begin.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Gauntlet**

**by homel001**

**Disclaimer: All rights to the show and it's characters belong to the late Glen A. Larson. The third tale in the Knight Rider 86' series. Based on a fictional Fifth Season of the original series.**

Chapter Three

Michael and Bonnie arrived at the outskirts of the small town. Everything seemed to be going to well until KITT scanned another threat. Suddenly, Melly's Helicopter abruptly descended ahead, blocking the entrance. Michael swerved, hitting the uneven dirt road. Melly's Helicopter closed in as they chased the black T-Top at a low altitude. He aimed his rifle and fired at the passenger window. Michael gazed into the rear view mirror.

"Michael, who is that man shooting at us?" KITT asked in a state of panic.

"It's Melly!" Michael replied. "We were forced to come down here! Well we'll show him. Hold on!"

Michael activated KITT's off road drop down. The terrain became even more unsettled as they headed deeper into the fields. Melly repeated his attack run. His shots still bounced off of KITT's Molecular Bonded Shell. The ace hit man finally realized that his attack wasn't going to solve anything.

"Bring me around once more." He said, signalling the pilot to make another pass. "I'm going to blast them with a rocket launcher."

The Helicopter descended in front of KITT once again. Melly revealed a small portable rocket launcher. He aimed for KITT's hood and fired. Michael erratically swerved, avoiding a narrow explosion. Flying columns of dirt hit the dash making visibility difficult. Two more rockets follow the first one, smacking into the ground. The third explosion rocks the ground, rocking the cabin.

"That one was too close, Michael." KITT cried.

"We've got to ground Melly!" Bonnie screamed. "KITT can you micro jam the Helicopter's rotas?"

"I have been trying to, but it is difficult to establish a lock on." KITT replied.

Michael had an idea. "KITT what if you were to disrupt the power just enough to knock it off course?"

"I could try to disrupt the power. It could give us an edge."

"And throw Melly off the trail. Show them your magic."

KITT locked onto the Helicopter's rotas and sent a large burst of electromagnetic energy. It didn't take long for the pilot to react to it. The controls started to malfunction. Suddenly, the motors began to cut out, causing the light weight Helicopter to shake and rock about the place. Melly fought the sudden G forces to keep his aim on KITT. It was no use.

"What the hell is going on!?" He yelled out to the pilot.

"Something is wrong!" The pilot claimed. "The engines keep cutting out. If I don't steer away we'll crash."

"No! Stay on course!" Melly growled, as he loaded his rifle. "I can still take them out."

"Look if you want to kill yourself then fine, but not me!" The pilot argued. "You can still catch him. That is only road that they're on."

"Where are they heading?" Melly asked him as he aimed his gun at the pilot's head. "Tell me!?"

The sight of the gun barrel in his face made the pilot nervous. "It just takes them back to town. If you hurry you can catch them."

"Thanks friend." Melly replied as he retracted the firearm and contacted his fellow members. "This is Melly. We've got them on the run. It looks like they're heading into town. Rendezvous with me at the planned location and we'll continue on road."

As the helicopter gained it's distance from KITT, the motors returned to full working power. The instruments also returned to full working order. Melly's mind was completely clouded with anger and fear. He didn't even stop think that they had been hit with a jamming beam. As in fashion, Michael's plan worked. They proceeded towards the end of the dirt stretch. The outskirts of town sat on the horizon.

KITT spoke up. "We are now in the clear, Michael. Your plan worked flawlessly as usual."

"I won't brag pal." Michael responded. There was still no sense of relief. "They'll be back. We've just slowed them down for a while."

Bonnie couldn't work it out. How could one man be obsessed over their paranoia. She played out the other hypothetical theories in her mind. What if he got it wrong and it wasn't her who witnessed his hit? What if it was her but she didn't see anything at the time? It was clear that his motives were driven by fury and fear. Her entire body jolted at the notion that it could drive a man to insanity.

"This is never going to end." She muttered.

"Michael heard her words which infuriated him. "Hey! What's that going to solve here!? We are going to get through this! All it takes is time and patience."

"Oh year sure!" Bonnie scoffed. "What do you expect him to give up and throw down his gun after a couple of hours!?"

"I expect him to slip up!" Michael pointed out. "It's well known that when a person is angry, they don't think and make mistakes. We need to keep him riled up."

"Nuh-Uh!" Bonnie responded. "Not me. Look Michael, I've been through it the past few years. I've been kidnapped, put in danger while undercover, hell I was even forced to work on KARR, but having a hit man come after you!"

"Well look at it this way, you can definitely say you've been through it all." Michael smiled as he tried to lighten the situation much to Bonnie's disgrace.

"Why do you that?" she asked him.

"Do what?"

"Always laughing at the face of danger? I mean you hardly ever get frightened."

"That's not true. I get scared a lot of the time. I just learn how to deal with it and use it to get the job done. It helps me focus."

"No that's not just it. I know you too well Michael Knight."

"Okay you got me. I love the adrenaline rush and I'm just trying to support you."

Bonnie paused for a moment, but eventually responded with a calm smile.

"I've heard that one before, but I believe you. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Michael assured her as he patted her on the hand. "You're just being alert."

They finally approached the town and headed in on cruise mode. KITT did an initial scan of the area. He couldn't detect a trace of Melly and his hit men.

"Michael, I can not find any trace of Melly." He reported in his routine manner. "We are quite safe."

"Okay KITT. Well it's getting late. I suggest we pull up some where and rest for a bit. I'll find us a super burger joint."

"You read my mind." Bonnie replied as she stroked the hair out of her face.

Unbeknownst to them, a small unmarked dusted truck sat in the shadows of a narrow alleyway. The driver behind the wheel was one of Melly's hit men. He had sneaked into town just minutes before KITT arrived. The heavy pipe work around him was made of lead, which covered up his location. The driver watched closely as he sighted Michael and Bonnie through a pair of binoculars. A sinister grin broke out across his face. He was certain that they were trapped. He put down the binoculars and picked up a small black portable radio.

"Melly, It's Grant." He said as his pressed down the transmitter button. "I've found them. They're right in the centre of town.

Melly's voice crackled over the distorted radio speaker. _"Good work. Are they still in the T-Top?"_

"No. They've gone into a local diner." The hit man replied. "Shall I close in for the kill?"

_"No not yet." _Melly said, as he denied the man's request._"There are too many people about. Wait until it gets dark and shoot them from the shadows."_

"Understood." the man acknowledged as he put down the radio.

As the following hours drifted by, the sun eventually disappeared over the horizon. The Moon had arrived to take over, accompanied by an endless field of stars. The driver remained in his shaded car, checking the time on his watch. He made a time check every thirty minutes. Suddenly, He jumped up right when he spotted Michael and Bonnie leaving the diner. He studied them closely, reaching for his gun that was on the back seat. The pair from FLAG decided to go for a walk down the street to work off their dinner. They were both unaware that the hit man was ready to move in for the kill.

Michael and Bonnie took a quiet stroll down the street. With their guards still up, they tried to pass the time with a light conversation. Bonnie remembered what he was going to say to her before the helicopter chase, so she decided to ask about it.

"Michael, what was it you trying to say to me earlier?" She asked him.

"Oh right, Year that." Michael replied as he remembered the significance of the day. "Well what I was trying to say earlier was..."

Once again, KITT interrupted them with another warning.

"_Michael, a tuck is approaching at high speed. The driver is armed!"_

Michael spun round to see the hit man's truck heading down the street towards them. He grabbed Bonnie's arm and threw her to the ground for cover.

"Get down!" He screamed, as he dived behind a car.

The driver pulled up and opened fire. Bullets riddled the pavement and even tore apart the car that Michael and Bonnie were hiding behind. Michael raised his arm and spoke into his watch.

"KITT! Get over here!" he cried.

KITT immediately fired up his engines. Switching to his Auto Cruise mode, he reversed out of the parking lot and sped down the street. The hit man spotted KITT in his rear view mirror and sped off at high speed. The truck kicked up a huge cloud of dust, blocking Michael's vision. KITT rolled up to a stop, opening the doors.

"I am afraid he is getting away." He said, stating the obvious.

"Alright." Michael replied as sat in behind the wheel. "Let's go and get him."

KITT pulled out of the curb just seconds later. They raced out of the town, hot on the tail of the truck. KITT had picked up the truck on his scanners. They were no longer going to run. The tables were about to turn.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Gauntlet**

**by homel001**

**Disclaimer: All rights to the show and it's characters belong to the late Glen A. Larson. The third tale in the Knight Rider 86' series. Based on a fictional Fifth Season of the original series.**

Chapter Four

KITT rapidly closed in on the fleeing hit man. His speed had his the Seventy Mile Per Hour mark and the roads were getting narrower. Michael didn't want to cause another casualty. This time he wanted answers. He steered KITT into position as they ran parallel with the truck. A small embankment appeared over the horizon. It was the perfect place to end the chase. Gently moving the wheel, Michael rammed KITT into the side of truck. The driver struggled to regain control as the truck erratically swerved across the narrow lane. The truck hit the small dirt embankment right on target. It kicked up a huge cloud of dust upon impact. The driver lightly smacked his head on the dash board. KITT spun around and pulled up along side the embankment. The entire area was immersed in silence. It was the perfect place to carry out a little friendly interrogation. After scanning the driver's condition, Michael skidded down the embankment towards the truck. He ripped open the door before carefully dragging out the dazed hit man. He wasn't going to mess around with the man, but he sure wasn't going to hit him. The impact had done enough.

"Okay talk!" He said as he held up the man by the scruff of his neck. "I want to know what's going on and I want to know where Melly is heading!"

"My head...It's...It's killing me!" The driver complained.

"You'll live and trust me I could have made it a lot worse." Michael sneered. "Now tell me!"

"I can't. He'll kill me." the driver replied. "I swore an oath with the syndicate never to break to anyone!"

"Your oath is going to jail with you. Spill now and it'll be much easier for you!" Michael continued. "I'll personally see to it."

The hit man carried his eyes until they met Michael's. "Alright. He's heading to Bearmont Grove. It's a small patch of land that leads into the next town."

"Bearmont Grove? Never heard of it." Michael sneered again in disbelief. "How do I no your not leading me into a trap?"

Suddenly the hit man began to laugh. "That's just it. You don't! Hehe...He's going to come at you from all angles. He's relentless, dedicated and he won't stop until Barstow is dead!"

The man's constant laughing infuriated Michael to the point of snapping. He threw the man to the ground before he continued the interrogation.

"Just what is he going to gain from killing her! Huh!?" He barked as he slammed the hit man up against the back of the totalled truck. "Safe haven? Peace of mind? I don't think so. All he's going to rack up is a life sentence behind bars. He's already racked up five years for trying to kill us already. Believe me. All he's going to get is justice and I will be the one delivering it!"

Although he was aware of the surroundings, Michael didn't want the leave the man with the chance to escape. He hurled him into the van and closed the door behind him. He aimed his watch at the lock, using KITT's talents to lock it from the outside.

"KITT notify the police of our friend. He won't be going anywhere." He said as he returned to the car. "Scan everything you got on the name "Bearmont Grove."

"I will get right to work on it, Michael." KITT acknowledged.

Bonnie noticed a familiar look on Michael's face. He had an idea. An idea that had a huge reputation for being dangerous or risky. She didn't like it one bit but she quickly reminded herself that they had come this far. The whole experience was a nightmare for her. She was well aware that it was far from over. After a few awkward moments of silence, KITT buzzed through with the results of his search.

"I have something." He said. "Bearmont Grove was a military code name used in the Nineteen Fifties for a dead square area of land. It was used to test out top secret military vehicles although shots could be heard from the next town that was only a few miles away."

"So the punk was telling the truth." Michael gulped. "Melly's gathering his fellow members there. KITT how far away are we to the nearest town?"

"Approximately Eight Miles away." KITT replied instantly. "It is also the only direct route."

"Alright get me Devon. It looks like he's going to need to take a detour."

Bonnie spoke up. "You do realize that it could be a trap?"

"Oh I do." Michael replied. "However if my guesses are right we can use his ambush plan to our advantage. We might just be able to round him up."

With their counter plan in mind, KITT slowly rolled down the narrow country lane.

Bearmont Grove had a reputation to live up to. It's real name was unknown as the land itself wasn't owned by anyone. Usually it would sit there empty with no activity what so ever until now. Three small military Jeeps approached from the east, kicking up fine dust trails as they went. They all converged at the centre of the dry wasteland before reversing themselves in a set position. A man mounted each of the machine gun turrets, all of which were aimed in the same direction. Melly sat firmly behind the drivers seat in the middle Jeep. He had become weary of after the challenge that his previous chase provided him but his obsession of killing had overridden his fatigue. He climbed out of the vehicle and made his way towards the left Jeep. His fellow hit man stepped outside.

"Is it all set?" Melly asked him?

"It's all set." The hit man replied. "I reached out to the other members in the local area. They've set up on each sides of the road leading into the grove. If Knight manages to get past them, then it'll be our turn. There's no way he could get past us now."

"There shouldn't be any other way." Melly corrected him. "I've seen first hand how tough his car really is. I haven't seen a car like it before. With three military Jeeps, and a wave of rockets waiting for them, I think that there's an impressive chance that he won't make it into town. All we have to do is wait."

"What if he doesn't show?" the hit man asked him. "It could cause some implications!"

"Relax. There is no other way into town. He knows that." Melly assured him. "If Grant had successfully killed them then he would be here with us. Instead I bet he spilt everything. Our location, our intentions. Well now it's going to end here. Those rocket shooters out there will give them a surprise that they aren't expecting. The Gauntlet has been laid."

The two men said no more and returned to their positions. Back across the fields, it wasn't long before KITT picked up the impending trap on his scanners. A graph of the area appeared on his screen. The hidden hit men were marked in red. The pulsating sounds from the screen rocked Michael's hearing.

"Michael, I'm detecting eight individuals camped out on each side of the road. They are all armed with portable rocket launchers!"

"So that's what he planned to do." Michael replied. "He's set up a Gauntlet for us! Okay KITT what the chances of outrunning a rocket barrage?"

"I'm not sure." KITT responded. "My shell could withstand one rocket blast at zero feet but sixteen!?"

"We'll have to take the risk." Michael replied as he pressed the "Passive Laser Restraint System" button.

"Michael if we Turbo Boost we could be exposed." KITT pointed out.

"That means we're done for!" Bonnie screamed in fear. "He's got us Michael. This is all my fault!"

"Will you cut that out!" Michael barked as he put Bonnie in her place. "We've been over this! We are not going down without a fight. Melly wants to show us what he's got then let him, but We'll be the ones coming out on top!"

"So you mean?"

"That's right. We're going in." Michael confirmed. "KITT, how far are we from these guys?"

"Approximately half a mile." KITT responded.

"Then we'll hit them back with a surprise of our own. Super Pursuit Mode."

With the press of the "SPM" button KITT quickly transformed into his Aerodynamic form. Michael increased their speed to over One Hundred And Fifty miles per hour, hurtling them straight for the Gauntlet's mouth. The first men spotted them and opened fire. Explosions rocked the lane around them, shifting and hurling dirt in all directions. With little room to swerve, Michael kept his foot down on the accelerator. He ordered Bonnie to take cover as he powered through the bombardment of intense rocket fire. As for the men who made the attack, they couldn't believe at how fast the black Trans-Am was going. It seemed like their rockets didn't even make a dent. One of the men radioed in to Melly and informed him of the situation. The Bombardment continued as KITT passed through the centre of the Gauntlet. Michael could make out the grove's entrance amongst the chaos.

"We're almost there." He said. "We can do it."

They eventually made it into the vast grove. The three armed Jeeps appeared within their peripheral visions. Michael hit the Emergency Brakes, bringing KITT to sudden stop. Deactivating Super Pursuit Mode, he activated KITT's loud speaker and called out to Melly.

"Well I got to hand it to you Melly, you sure know how to put on a show!"

Melly stepped out of his vehicle.

"I must congratulate you on getting this far, Mister Knight." He said. "I'm afraid it ends here."

"You're right. It does end here. It ends with you behind bars." Michael challenged.

"I'll make sure that Barstow is dead first." Melly replied as he displayed a murderous look. "I know you thought you could beat me and make it safely into town but as you can see I have the upper hand in our game. Three Military state of the art, Combat Jeeps are armed and trained on your location. All I got to do is give the word and they'll hit you with fire power big enough to wipe out a small city block. I'm willing to let you go. All you got to do is hand the woman over to me."

"That offer isn't going to cut it with me." Michael retaliated. "You want to kill her then you'll have to kill me too."

"So be it." Melly replied. "Okay boys let him have it."

Michael revved KITT's engine aggressively. Bonnie clung onto Michael's arm for dear life.

"Michael, I'm going to say this once but don't take it literally." She said. "I love you too."

"I know you do." Michael replied.

Suddenly, the Jeeps opened fires at exactly the same time that KITT made his move. Michael's plan was a simple one. Micro Lock the gun turrets. He spun around, heading for the right Jeep. Bullets and rocket fire slowed them down but only lightly. KITT locked onto the Jeeps turret. He swamped it in radio waves, putting it out of action. Michael banked on the state police's arrival soon. He hoped that Devon wasn't too late on making the call. With their goal inching ever nearer, they made their next move on the second Jeep. They drove within range, repeating the same move. The Jeep's gun systems began to fizz and melt, paralysing the driver with it's toxic fumes. With two Jeeps down. It was just Melly to go. The ace hit man knew he had failed, but he had one more trick up his sleeve. He bailed from the Jeep, sprinting towards the road. He stopped a near by car and pulled the driver out. KITT closed in on the hi-jacked car, chasing it towards the next town.

"I'm afraid he had too much of a head start on us." He said. "He's heading straight for town."

"We've got him on the run." Michael smiled as the sense of success became overwhelming. "Did you get a trace on the license plate?"

"Yes Michael, He won't get far now." KITT acknowledged. "The state police are on their way to round up the rest of the men."

"Good. I knew Devon wouldn't let us down."

They finally entered the outskirts of town. The locals were not expecting the high speed chase as they all dived out of the way. The signal on the stolen car beeped on the monitor. Each beep became louder which indicated that they were closing in on their suspect. Michael studied a local map of the town area. A small red blip appeared on the screen followed by a quick analysis from KITT.

"He's just round the next corner." He said. "It leads to a dead end. A Cul-De-Sac."

"Melly must have bailed pal." Michael groaned. "He could be anywhere."

They eventually located the stolen car. It had been impaled into the side of a wooden telephone line. The line had come down on it, smashing it's roof inwards. Michael pulled up to inspect the wreck. Melly wasn't inside. He knew that it would have taken them hours to comb the streets so they decided to simplify the search.

"Bonnie, wait here for the Semi. I'll let Devon know where you are" He said. "KITT and I are going after Melly."

"Okay but be careful." Bonnie replied as she stepped out into the street.

Shortly afterwards, Michael and KITT headed into the town centre. As Bonnie stood there, she felt as if she wasn't alone. It was then that she activated her new toy. It was a ring that acted as a homing device. She made it before she set off for Detroit. As she walked along the street, she spotted an empty pay phone. Suddenly, before she could make it into the booth, she froze at the sound of a gun being cocked. She then felt the nose of a pistol being pushed into her side. She raised her hands and kept calm as Melly's voice whispered in her ear.

"Alone at last, Bonnie." He said as he felt Bonnie react. "Don't turn around. Come with me. We're going to take a little walk and then we're going to finish this the way it is meant to."

With that, Bonnie was calmly walked down a side alley. The nose of the gun was lightly nudged in her back. If Michael and KITT were going to make their move it had to be soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Gauntlet**

**by homel001**

**Disclaimer: All rights to the show and it's characters belong to the late Glen A. Larson. The third tale in the Knight Rider 86' series. Based on a fictional Fifth Season of the original series.**

Chapter Five

Michael and KITT scoured the streets stumped by Melly's sudden departure. They had been searched the town's center for the third time without a single scan on the monitor. Michael started to wonder if a this was a deliberate plot to separate them from Bonnie. He couldn't afford to take any chances. As they reached the suburbs, a small Morse code signal flickered over KITT's scanners.

"Michael, I'm picking up a homing beacon of some kind." He said. "It's Morse Code and it appears to be transmitting a distress call."

"What does the message say?" Michael asked him. "Can you trace it?"

"I can. I have deciphered the message." KITT responded. "B-O-N….It's Bonnie! She's in trouble Michael!"

"Damn it!" Michael growled. "Melly has her! Have you got a fix on her position?"

KITT traced the source of the signal. "Approximately Three miles due east of the town at an old T'N'T Storage facility."

"We've got to get her pal." Michael acted as he hit the SPM button once again. "Super Pursuit Mode!"

KITT transformed into his aerodynamic form once again, as he bombed down the streets at high speed. Michael struggled to contain his level of panic. If anything happened to Bonnie, he would not only hold himself responsible, but he would punish himself for the rest of his life. He remembered Devon's strict orders. "Do not ever let her leave KITT." So why did he forget that?

Bonnie found herself in a vast dark and damp room. She had no bearing on her location. She couldn't work out how far Melly had taken her out of town. She calmly studied her surroundings with her eye but was unable to find a likely escape route. Melly had seen to it that they were completely alone. He waved the gun around, gesturing her to stand up against the wall. He ripped a length of cable off the wall and started to tie her hands with it, tightly behind her back. Bonnie had been in this situation before. She what she had to do. If Michael and KITT were ever going have a chance at finding her then she needed to stall her captor.

"Amazing isn't it." Melly said as he finished tying her up. "This place once use to hold the finest dynamite made in America. It was scheduled for demolition, but now It'll serve as your final resting place. I figure you have some questions to ask me before I end it, so I'll permit you to ask me them."

"Alright." Bonnie replied as her fear set in. "Why did you kill the Professor?"

"Professor Baxter?" Melly said. "Oh my dear you never knew about his secret affair with my previous employer. You see, your beloved Professor Baxter was a criminal just like me. He had dug himself a hole deep enough that he was unable to climb out of it. I was sent in to teach him a lesson."

"That's a lie." Bonnie sneered. "Professor Baxter was a noble man who was dedicated to his work!"

"He was also dedicated to illegalized gambling." Melly added as he paced around Bonnie. "Baxter was at a casino once many months ago when he met my previous employer. He got drunk and became desperate. He had lost a lot of money that night so he took out a loan from my boss in return for a file of classified documents. At the time he agreed, but failed to meet his end of the bargain. When he didn't show up with the documents my boss was very angry. He had lost a lot of money that day so in order to teach him a lesson, he hire me and my boys to tail him. We followed him for days on end until the time had come to make the hit. That's when you entered the picture. See I figured with you as a witness, I could be put behind bars for murder when I was just doing a job. I couldn't let that happen. I won't be put away!"

He then took a step forward towards Bonnie. He gently stroked her right cheek, brushing her long brown hair away from her eyes.

"I don't really want to kill you." He said with sympathy. "You are a very beautiful woman. It saddens me to have to do this. There is no choice left in the matter."

Bonnie stood her ground. Although she couldn't undo the knots, she felt a sudden stream of courage enter her system. Her eyes narrowed as they locked with Melly's.

"I'm not going to die." she said. "You're going to jail. It's called Justice. You'll pay for what you did to Baxter."

Melly cocked his pistol. "Well that doesn't seem likely now does it. Turn around and face the wall."

Bonnie hesitantly complied as she slowly spun round on her heel. At this point, her heart began to race. It seemed that Michael was cutting it really fine. Was he going to make it in time? Was she going to die?

Michael and KITT tore up the small country street. The ugly, black T'N'T warehouse appeared on their scanners.

"There it is, Michael." KITT said. "I detect two people inside. One is of them is armed."

"We've found them KITT." Michael replied. "It looks like Bonnie's little homing device worked."

"Shall we return to cruise mode?" KITT asked him.

"There's no time." Michael said. "We're keeping this close pal. Melly is about to close in for the kill."

They were literally minutes away. Michael put his foot down hard to point that it ached. They came to a clearing which sported a narrow path. Following it, the path took them directly towards the warehouse's locked doors. They didn't have the time to pull over and open it. Instead, they were going with the missile approach. Michael braced himself. KITT penetrated the thin wooden walls of the warehouse. The impact took Melly by surprise as he dived out of the way. KITT skidded, sheltering Bonnie from the hit man's bullets. Michael dived out of the car and hurled himself at Melly.

"Michael watch out!" Bonnie screamed.

"I'm sick of you Melly!" Michael barked as he planted his fist into Melly's jaw. "You've really done it now man. I'm about to come down on you!"

Melly's gun slides across the ground out of his reach. The hit man applied a few punches to Michael chest, but were quickly deflected with a kick to his right leg. Michael spun around and grabbed Melly in a tight headlock maneuver. Struggling, Melly broke himself out of the head lock. He elbowed Michael in the jaw, knocking him to the floor. Michael rolled, countering his body weight. He threw a kick into Melly's chest, pushing him up against the wall. He ended his defense streak with a swift knock out punch to Melly's face. He stood there and caught his breath as he watched Melly go limp and fall.

"I'm here sweetheart." he said as he rushed over to Bonnie and untied her.

"I knew you would make it." She said as Michael held her tightly. "I just knew you would."

"Of course. I would never let anything happen to you." Michael panted. "You know I wouldn't."

KITT spoke up. "If it wasn't for me you wouldn't. Are you alright Bonnie. I was frightfully worried."

"I'm fine KITT thanks to you both." Bonnie replied. "Where's Devon?"

"Oh yeah." Michael remembered. "Devon. KITT?"

"I have Devon on my scanners. The Semi has just entered the town center."

Michael smiled. "Perfect timing."

The next day, Michael and Bonnie cruised down the street. With KITT in his convertible mode, They took full advantage of the Midday Indiana sun. They had spent the day doing what Michael had planned to do all along. Pamper Bonnie. They pulled up outside an Gelato stand and made their way over to the vendor. While Michael bought them their Gelato's, Bonnie remembered an unfinished conversation from the previous day.

"You know something, Michael. You never did tell me why you were being so over-protective lately." She said. "Just what was it all about?"

Michael stopped in walking. His face dropped followed by an immediate sigh.

"You're right. I suppose I should tell you." He said. "Yesterday marked the first anniversary of Stevie's death. It still hurts me really bad you know. For the past few weeks, I couldn't sleep, think or eat. All I could do was think back to that nightmare. The day she was murdered on our wedding day. Watching her die in my arms, I don't think I can get over that. Not yet. Perhaps not ever."

Bonnie was speechless. How could she forget? "Michael I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay." Michael smiled as he put his arm around her. "It's also the reason why I've been protective over you and Devon for that matter. You are officially the only girl in my life. When I look at you, I see her. Sure I don't mean it in a romantic way, but I do mean it in a family way. I don't ever want to lose you and Devon, even KITT."

"I understand." Bonnie assured him. "Thank you for telling me."

"Just remember that each year if I get like that, you know why."

"Sure." Bonnie agreed as she fed her arm through Michaels and grasped it.

Michael smiled. He could breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the cat was out of the bag. With that all said and done, they returned to KITT and went on with their day. It was Bonnie's day and she was going to enjoy it with the ones she loved. She was going to spend it with her family.

END


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